The Nation Newspaper

Tag: The Nation newspaper

  • AIB to release six crash report this month

    The Commissioner of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) Akin Olateru has stated that the agency would release the final report on Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-223 and five other accidents and incidents reports on April 25,2019.

    This is just as the Bureau said it has invested $1 million on the training of staff in the last one year, adding that arrangements are on to establish a training institution in partnership with the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology(NCAT) and  Cranfield University.

    Recall that one of the engines of Delta Air Lines A330-223 aircraft caught fire on February 14, 2018, a situasion which made the aircraft to make an return minutes after take off.

    He made this known while delivering his Keynote address at the Bureau’s 2019 Stakeholders’ Forum with a theme, “Review Accident Investigation Bureau Regulations 2016 and its Implications on Stakeholders”at Radisson Blu Hotels, Lagos.

    Olateru explained that apart from Delta Airlines accident  report, other final reports to be released includes: Cessna 208B Caravan with registration 5N-BMJ belonging to late former governor Danbaba Suntai, which occurred on October 25, 2012 and Diamond DA40 aircraft belonging to International Aviation College ( IAC) Ilorin with registration 5N-BRD on November 25, 2013,

    Others are 2018 Dana runway incident in Port Harcourt Bristow Helicopter Sikorsky S76C++ with registration 5N-BQJ on February 3, 2016 and Gulfstream 2000 belonging to NestOil with 5N-SRI in February 2018.

    The AIB boss stated that he had sent the report of the Delta serious incident to the aircraft manufacturer; Airbus for the 60 day review before the release of the report and that it returned from the manufacturers with ‘No Comment’.

    AIB , he stated was trying to clear all the backlog of reports, adding that when he was appointed the boss of AIB, he put experts in group to investigation, a departure from the old older where investigation was personalized.

    To further buttress his point and to show the confidence reposed  on AIB reports, Olateru said that at Cranfield University in United States,” Our reports are been used as case studies.”

    According to him, “We are trying to clear all the backlog of report We have moved AIB from an agency of government that released accidents and incidents reports two times a year to an agency that release 23 reports in two years. When I came to AIB investigation was personalised. But today I have put people in group to investigate accidents and incidents.”

    The AIB CEO disclosed that the agency has invested heavily in the training of the agency’s staff in Singapore and National Transport Safety Board(NTSB) In the United States for On the Job Training(OJT).

    On the capacity of its Flight Safety Laboratory, he said that the lab. Has the capacity to download anything including Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder ((CVR)

    Earlier, the Managing Director of Spring Fountain, Mr. Tunde Fagbemi stated that the aviation industry was the most regulated in the world and that it is because of its importance attached to safety.

    He pointed out that the reason accidents happened is because of some series of activities that were ignore

    “Aviation is the most regulated industry in the world, why do we need to regulate and it’s unfortunate but Ethiopian knows the need for regulation, Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier know why aviation needs to be regulated.”

    He continued, “Accident is not what needs to happen, but it is something that we need to prevent. An accident is a culmination of many little events that were ignored and the most fundamental objective of AIB is safety and issuing safety recommendations for the betterment of the industry.”

    The AIB Commissioner also revealed that the bureau is in the process of signing an agreement with France so the AIB can handle investigations of French-Speaking West African countries’ incident,” they appreciate what we are doing here, he said, “meaning we are doing something right.”

  • Nigeria now ranks among leading democracies in Africa- Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said that Nigeria now ranked amongst the leading democracies in Africa and in the Commonwealth 20 years after it began to experience uninterrupted democratic culture.

    President Buhari was the visitor at the final day of the 50th Convocation Ceremonies of the University of Lagos, which also served as the convocation for the 2017/2018 academic session.

    The president was represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Rasheed Yakubu.

    “With the 2019 general elections that had come and gone, we as a nation have once again reiterated our choice of democracy as the system of government by which we hope to imbibe an all-round development.

    “ Our administration is committed to ensuring that the sacredness of that choice is preserved. With this policy enunciated and every programme instituted, we shall ensure that our democratic culture takes firmer roots and legacies further consolidated.

    “Let me reiterate that my administration will not waver in its commitment to following due process, preserving the sanctity of the rule of law, battling grand corruption, securing the lives and property of our people and rehabilitating or upgrading our critical infrastructure.

    “We will continue to be unrelenting in enthroning hard work, honesty and place the welfare of our citizens above everything else.

    “ We must all join hands to take Nigeria to the next level of progress,’’ President Buhari said.

    According to him, his administration will continue to encourage Nigerian universities to build closer and better relationships with the industrial sector.

    He said this would help to bridge the gap between theories and practicality with a view to addressing some of the most required needs of the nation.

    Read also: Don’t forget your promise to run inclusive govt, APA tells Buhari

    He added that his administration believed in the imperative of sound educational system for national development.

    “We recognise the place of our intellectuals to undertake cutting edge researches that will address the challenges of development and contribute to making lives better.

    “ We acknowledge that our advancement as a nation will be driven by a robust human resource base.

    “ It should, therefore, be our collective determination to do our best to guarantee a peaceful and stable future for Nigerians through education.

    “ We shall continue to interface with the unions of universities in our bid to ensuring that we have a stable higher education sector that contributes to the nation’s global competiveness,’’ he said.

    While congratulating the graduating students,   President Buhari charged them to make their impacts felt in matters of national development.

    “As you make your ways into the world beyond this ivory tower, let me assure you of our administration’s commitment to ensuring that the skills and knowledge you have acquired are put to use and be productively engaged.

    “While many of you will be gainfully employed in the public and private sectors, some of you may choose to explore the entrepreneurial route by founding and co-founding small and medium scale businesses.

    “In a special way, the knowledge and competences you have developed in the course of acquiring Nigeria’s degrees, diplomas and certificates are to be applied to the noble course of national development,’’ he said.

    Earlier, the Chancellor of the university and the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar El-kanemi, said that the tertiary education sector in general and the university system in particular would enjoy renewed attention with the release of the graduands.

    “Having said this, I must say that it is necessary for us to put in place, more support for policies, programmes and finances to keep the ivory towers at par with their counterparts globally.

    “Many globally renowned feats by our faculties and students make a case for my appeal,’ he said.

    Giving a breakdown, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said that 5,405 postgraduate degrees consisting of 150 Ph.D holders, 4,771 Masters and 484 postgraduate diplomas would be awarded in various disciplines.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that four eminent personalities were conferred with Emeritus Professorship and honorary degrees in recognition of their roles in developing the country.

    The honorary doctorate awardees included: Mr Jim Ovia, businessman and founder, Zenith Bank Plc, Alhaji Lateef Okunnu, and Dr Daniel Olukoya, the General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries worldwide.

    In their acceptance speeches, Ovia emphasised the need for the private sector to join hands with the Federal Government in the funding of education in the country.

    He, however, called for the licensing of more private universities in order to enhance the academic standard of the country.

    Olukoya in his speech, emphasised the need to encourage the development of country’s youths on how to be self reliant after school.

    He also said that there was the need for the Federal Government to institute a compulsory course in universities on life after school.

    Olukoya said the course should encompass integrity, hard work, honesty and relationship.

    “If students fail the course, they should not be allowed to graduate,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • Elections victory: PDP BoT congratulates party, candidates

    The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated the party for the success recorded by it and its candidates in the just concluded general elections.

    The BoT Chairman, Sen. Walid Jubrin, sent the party organ’s congratulatory message at a press conference after its 65th meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.

    Jubrin said that in spite of the challenges faced by PDP candidates in the general elections, they performed well.

    He expressed the board’s support to all the party’s candidates who were in court to seek redress for their grievances during the elections.

    He stated: “The BOT hereby wishes to congratulate our great party and all our candidates who participated in the 2019 elections, for bracing the odds and strengthening democratic rules and culture.

    “This was done in spite of the unprecedented level of militarisation which runs clearly against the letters and spirit of the judgment of the Supreme Court that says the military has no business in the conduct of elections.

    Read also: PDP cautions Kogi lawmakers over alleged plot to remove Chief Judge

    “The BOT also wishes to assure Nigerians and all members of our great party, especially those whose mandate were stolen, that the BoT stands by them at all times in the wheat to reclaim the mandate freely given to them by the good people of Nigeria.”

    Jubrin expressed the board’s dismay over what he described as systematic erosion of the gains made under the PDP administration in enhancing the credibility of the electoral process over the years.

    “The BoT calls on all Nigerians, especially our teeming PDP supporters to stay calm and be law-abiding as we believe justice will take its proper place in spite of the traumatisation of the judicial arm of government by the present administration,” he added (NAN)

  • Seven Nigerian prospects, others for NBA Next Generation Programme

    Seven Nigerian male basketball players will take part in this weekend’s Next Generation programme that will come up in Minneapolis, Minnesota from April 6-8.

    They are Chukwudalu Calistus Egbejiogu, Victor Ezeh, John Kenoye, Oluwatobi Samuel Ariyibi, Joshua Ojianwuna, Nelly Joseph and Abdou Aziz Bandaogo. Others are Papa Malick Thiam (Senegal), Kurt-Curry Wegscheider (Central African Republic), Babacar Faye (Senegal) Saliou Seye (Senegal) and Mouhamed Lamine Mbaye (Senegal)

    Four African female players – Diouma Berthe (Mali), Alexia Dizeko (Angola), Yacine Ndiaye (Senegal), Aicha Ndour (Senegal) – will take part in the Women’s version which will take place Tampa, Florida from April 5-7.

    The 12 prospects, selected from The NBA Academy Africa, will travel to Minneapolis and Tampa, respectively, for a weekend of player development and educational programming as part of Next Generation Sunday and, for the first time, Women’s Next Generation Saturday.

    The NCAA, USA Basketball and the NBA are bringing top male and female high school-age players from around the world to the 2019 Men’s and Women’s Final Fours, offering potential future student-athletes extraordinary opportunities to celebrate the game of basketball and learn more about their sport within the context of higher education.

    Hosted by the NCAA in partnership with USA Basketball and the NBA Academies programmme, and with support from the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, the collaboration provides young athletes with educational and life-skills sessions, allows them to compete against their peers from around the world, and lets them experience aspects of the Final Four from a player’s perspective, including attending Final Four semifinal games.

    Launched at last year’s Men’s Final Four, Next Generation is part of the expanded USA Basketball Junior National Team Programme in partnership with the NCAA, NBA and National Basketball Players Association.

     NBA Academy Africa Technical Director, Roland Houston, is leading the players to the US.

  • PDP cautions Kogi lawmakers over alleged plot to remove Chief Judge

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned members of the Kogi State House of Assembly against allowing Governor Yahaya Bello to push them to act beyond their boundaries.

    The warning is coming on the heel of alleged conspiracy by the governor and the state assembly to forcefully remove the state Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajana.

    A statement Thursday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said there is no provision in the nation’s constitution that empowered the state legislature to superintend over the judiciary or usurp the powers and functions of the National Judicial Council (NJC) on issues pertaining to judges, let alone a state Chief Judge.

    The party said the recommendation of the Kogi House of Assembly for the removal of the State Chief Judge was misdirected shadowboxing.

    The PDP said the alleged plot did not only expose the state legislature to public ridicule but also reinforced impressions and allegations in the public space that it has been compromised to execute ignoble schemes of the state executive.

    The main opposition party said the development was not healthy for the image of the legislators in the state and could lead to their recall by their constituents.

    “The powers and functions of the state legislature vis-a-vis those of the judiciary are well carved out in our laws and should be respected at all times. The ostensibly induced action of the Kogi state legislature is, therefore, a direct affront to our constitution and invitation to anarchy.

    “The Kogi lawmakers should note that they were elected to uphold good governance and rule of law for the benefit and welfare of the people of Kogi state, and not as instruments of witch-hunt and intimidation in the hands of an anti-people, repressive, incompetent and grossly corrupt administration, which has no regard for the law and the will of the people.

    “Moreover, the lawmakers should note that in ditching the constitutional provision of separation of powers and joining in assaulting the independence and sanctity of the judiciary, they are also setting their parliament on the path of self-destruct and complete annexation by the executive.

    “The party, therefore, charges the members of the Kogi State House of Assembly to immediately retrace their steps and ensure that as lawmakers, they are not found on the wrong side of the law,” the statement added.

  • FG condemns execution of Nigerian in Saudi

    The Federal Government has condemned the execution of a Nigerian national, Mrs. Kudirat Afolabi, widow and mother of two, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for drug related offences.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Mustapha  Sulaiman, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

    ”While Nigeria respects the sovereignty of states, and abhors the violation of domestic laws of any country, the government, however, does not condone such inhumane treatment being meted on a Nigerian national.

    ”It also frowns at the Saudi authorities for not informing the Nigerian missions in Saudi Arabia of the arrest and prosecution of the deceased Nigerian, only to invite the mission to take the last will of the deceased prior to her execution on April 1.

    ”The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, therefore, wishes to assure Nigerians that it has engaged the Saudi authorities through their Ambassador in Nigeria over issues related to Nigerians,” he said.

    He said this was to ensure that the normal diplomatic practice of informing missions of the arrests of nationals is adhered to, and that fair hearing is given to other Nigerians undergoing judicial processes in Saudi Arabia.

  • BMO to UN: There is no food insecurity in Nigeria

    The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has dismissed UN report that Nigeria is among countries suffered most from high levels of food insecurity in the world in 2018.

    The organization said in a statement in Abuja on Thirsday that the report was totally off the mark, unverifiable and unreliable.

    The statement was issued by its Chairman and Secretary, Messrs Niyi Akinsiji and Cassidy Madueke.

    The group said the report, released by United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation, was untenable.

    It explained that the report was untenable bearing in mind that under the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, there has been an increase in agricultural activities leading to sufficiency in food production and availability.

    “Even in the instance of the Northeast where there are internally Displaced Persons, there had been deliberate measures taken by the federal government to ensure adequate food for the victims of the Boko Haram insurgency.

    Read Also: ‘Abide by food safety regulations’

    “We want to also note that several intervention agencies are cooperating with the federal government in ensuring adequate food for the people in the war affected areas,’’ the statement said.

    According to the group, the agencies and institutions that are cooperating with government in ensuring adequate food for the people include National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), UNHCR, UNICEF, ECOWAS, UNDP and NIMASA.

    The statement noted that in view of all these interventions, “it runs contrary to reason that an organisation like the United Nations, or any of its agencies would lump Nigeria with countries where there are full blown wars.

    “We therefore consider the report as baseless, lacking in depth and calculated to diminish the efforts of the Buhari administration to reposition the country in all sectors”.

    The statement said the challenge of food insecurity has been drastically reduced and in some cases totally eliminated with the reduction in the number of Internally Displaced Persons and their camps in the Northeast.

    It added that the reduction of the IDPs and their camps in North East was based on the proactive measures put in place by the federal government.

    “For instance, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, the number of Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria has reduced to about 417,000, while countries like Ethiopia and Syria account for 1.4 million and 1.2 million IDPs, respectively.

    “Nigeria definitely has no place among the countries cited in the report,” the statement said.

    NAN

  • Newspaper vendor commits suicide in Sapele

    A 42- year- old newspaper vendor Amaechi, was on Thursday morning found dead after hanging himself with a rope tied to his room’s ceiling fan.

    Although not much could be ascertained about the deceased person’s personality, The Nation gathered Amaechi, described as a rather withdrawn person who hardly interacted with his neighbours, was last seen on Monday.

    According to one of his neighbours in the one-bedroom apartment, Amaechi was a native of Kwale in Delta state.

    The neighbor said: “He was last seen on Monday when he was leaving the house; nobody knew when he came back to the house.

    “We never knew he had hung himself in his room. It was only this morning when we were beginning to inhale some foul odour and people came to ask of him that we suspected foul play”.

    Another source, who pleaded anonymity, said Amaechi was not known with any friend or wife, adding his only known family member was his older brother, who died in 2018.

    Read Also: Auchi Poly lecturer commits suicide

    According to the source: “He was much of a mystery man; nobody knew much about him.

    “We only knew him as Amaechi, not even his landlord knows his other name. He was not known with any friend or wife, the only family known with him was that his older brother, who died last year and since he died, we learned his family moved back to Kwale.

    “What I heard was that he was last seen at the newspaper distribution centre on Monday when those who used to give him paper demanded that he should pay up what he owed.

    ‘’You know that sometimes vendors owe money for papers for a while before paying in bulk.

    “They said he left the centre after he was asked to pay what he was owing and since then nobody has set eyes on him again until his corpse was found hanging in his room on Wednesday night.

    ‘’Like I was told, they said nobody at his place saw when he returned home or saw him again after that Monday morning.

    “They said people had been coming to ask after him ever since, but when they started perceiving a foul odour, someone suggested that they broke through his window to be sure he was not in. That was when his body was discovered,” the source said.

    Spokesman of the Delta Police Command, Mr Chris Orisewezie (ASP), said he was also informed of the development but could not immediately lay hands on details.

  • I remain senator-elect, Nwaoboshi cries out

    The senator-elect for Delta North, Peter Nwaoboshi, Thursday said that he has not been sacked by any court.

    Nwaoboshi who is also the sitting senator representing the same Senatorial District, noted that contrary to report, no court sacked as he was no longer the candidate of a political party but a senator-elect with certificate of return.

    He said that he has already filed a notice of appeal to challenge the ruling of Justice Ahmed R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja delivered on April, 3rd, 2019.

    The Delta North senator told reporters at a press conference in Abuja that apart from filing his notice of appeal, he has taken other steps to curtail what he described as “judicial rascality in the country.

    He noted that “the beauty of the Nigeria’s legal system is that we rely on precedence” adding that “what is even worrisome is that the same judge who delivered the judgement on April 3rd, has ruled on similar case that the case was filed out of time.”

    Nwaoboshi who said that “this country must be civil” insisted that “this country is not where people believe and boast that they can buy judgement.”

    Read also: Breaking: Court sacks Delta North senator-elect, Nwoboshi

    He said that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) sponsored him “and my party has come to court to say that I am its candidate.”

    He said, “I was not sacked and there was no order that said INEC should withdraw my certificate of return and it was not asked. The court does not give what you did not ask because the court is not Father Christmas.”

    Nwaoboshi said that part of ground of his appeal is that the learned trial judge erred in law when he held that the suit was not caught by the 14 days rule in Section 285(9) Fourth Alteration to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

    He noted that the primary election, subject matter of the suit was conducted on 2nd October, 2018 and the 14 days’ time allowed started running on the same 2nd October, 2018 when the primary election took place.

    He said that another ground of appeal is that the learned trial judge erred in law when he held that he had jurisdiction to entertain the suit despite same being filed on 11th December, 2018 because the 1st respondent had earlier filed a suit before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, which he withdrew and was truck out on 10th December, 2018.

    He noted that “the self-same suit withdrawn before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja was withdrawn because it was caught by the same 14 days rule in view of Section 285 (9) Fourth Alteration to the Constitution, 1999 (as amended)

    The Federal High Court Abuja on Wednesday was reported to have sacked Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, the senator-elect for Delta North Senatorial District.

    Justice Ahmed Mohammed gave the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by Mr. Ned Nwoko challenging the election of Nwaoboshi as the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the October 2, 2018 primaries of the party held in Delta.

    The court held that Nwaoboshi, a serving senator, was not the duly elected candidate of the PDP in the primary election.

    Justice Mohammed ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to publish the name of Nwoko as PDP candidate, having established before the court that he scored the highest number of votes in the said primary election.

  • FG budgets N24b for East West road

    The federal government has proposed N24b for the East West road from a total of N46b for the entire Niger Delta region in the 2019 fiscal year, it emerged on Thursday.

    The House of Representatives has however condemned the allocation of just 17 projects to the entire region in 2019 while describing as unacceptable the litany of uncompleted projects across the region.

    Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani, while presenting the 2019 budget proposal said the entire envelope for the Ministry was N46 billion.

    The Minister complained the budgeting process needed to be reviewed, saying: “Projects in 2017 were rolled over in 2018 and in 2019. We are concentrating on the ongoing projects. Only 17 news projects were initiated in 2019 budget.

    “I agree perfectly that the budgeting process deserves a review because for now, it appears budgeting is like a discussion”.

    On the breakdown of the proposal, he said N24b was projected for the East west road while N914.7m was for agriculture.

    He also said while 17 new projects were introduced in 2019 budget, N1.092b was budget for electricity projects, N980.9m for building of schools in the area and Erosion control was allocated 4.5b.

    According to the Minister, N970.7m was budgeted for water facilities while N349.025m was for hospital and clinics.

    The Committee however expressed displeasure over numerous uncompleted projects in the nine States of the region.

    Read Also: Lagos budgets N852.317b for 2019

    Committee Chairman, Etuk Ekpeyong said: “There are so many uncompleted projects littered around the Niger Delta region.

    “I want to draw the attention of the Ministry that this session is drawing to a close and the Ministry has to commission some of these projects.

    “Why has the Ministry refused to allocate the houses? The level of waste in government is terrible. Houses have been completed but not allocated.

    “It is like this all over the 9 states in the Niger Delta and there is no step in the 2019 budget to show the Ministry’s will to allocate those projects. We should not allow these investments to be wasted.”

    Committee member, Istafanus Gyang accused the Ministry of underperformance in 2018.

    He said it is time for the Federal government to be realistic with national budget.

    “The Ministry didn’t perform well in 2018. Niger Delta region has many intervention agencies but has not reflected that in bringing about the desired development of the region.

    “The Federal government should be realistic with national budget.”